MFI and Woolworths

Fri 23 Jan, 2009 15.19

rdobbie wrote:My local Woolworths has already re-opened as a B&M, a cheapo food and homewares chain (you know the kind of place, Snickers bars printed in Arabic for 10p and jars of Dolmio that expired a month ago for 20p).

oh we've got one of those in place of our old "au natural" stupid shop up on the retail park. they're so cheap they don't even illuminate their sign. people were seen going in, and leaving soon after without bags. vile

Malpass93 · Fri 23 Jan, 2009 15.30

rdobbie wrote:My local Woolworths has already re-opened as a B&M

Before Woolworths hit the shit, they moved across Scunthorpe to a new unit, next to a cinema. The old location, strangely enough, became a B&M too. This was five years ago, but the Woolworths logo is still on the door handle.

Malpass93 · Fri 23 Jan, 2009 16.00

nodnirG kraM wrote:The old old red W logo on a pale blue door handle?

Yup. They painted it dark blue, but the logo was still clear, and the paint kept flaking off.

nwtv2003 · Fri 23 Jan, 2009 16.25

We have two B&M's in Warrington now, one in the Market area that's been open for years, and one in an old Au Naturale that we thought had closed down, but only after we went in there found it had become a B&M in all but name. Au Naturale if you never went in was like a poor man's Ikea, but it was half decent, now it's just a mix of the old Au Naturale and a bit of B&M like low priced toys and loads of Dog Food. Nevertheless, they are quite popular, and are good for cheap branded products.

Not sure what's happening to Warrington Woolies yet, but on the day they closed down nationally, Channel 4 News were outside it and said that the street it's on is a ghost town, not far of really, all there is left down there now is TJ Hughes, Greggs, Nationwide, Barclays, M&S, the rest have just either closed down or got the stupid boards up saying visit the Mall.

Whataday · Sat 07 Feb, 2009 21.10

I see that the Woolworths brand has been snapped up by Shop Direct and will sell Ladybird clothing, Electricals and Entertainment. This has always been the most likely option in my mind.

I expect we will eventually see some sort of presence back on the High Street, even if it is just one or two 'factory outlet' style stores these online catalogues tend to open.

Andrew Wood · Sat 07 Feb, 2009 21.13

nodnirG kraM wrote:You see this is why Tesco is dominating the market place. By removing doors from their premesis they eliminate the need to keep re-painting them or updating their logos.

Umm, in the Tesco I work in, we've had new sliding doors installed on the main entrance last Sunday evening. They were bust by Monday afternoon.

Sat 07 Feb, 2009 21.17

oh yes dundee's extra had those installed too, the temperature inside has rocketed, its now boiling and the service desk no longer needs it's silly old heater on

m-in-m · Sat 07 Feb, 2009 23.38

Hymagumba wrote:oh yes dundee's extra had those installed too, the temperature inside has rocketed, its now boiling and the service desk no longer needs it's silly old heater on

There cropping up all over the place. Is this:
[*]a) a cynical way to reduce costs by removing the need for so much heating particularly the waste full over door heaters;
[*]b) a real attempt to improve the working conditions of the poor buggers put right at the front of the store; or
[*]c) just something to irritate shoppers as the doors never open quick enough?

Answers on a virtual postcard please.

TG · Sat 07 Feb, 2009 23.41

(b) has its place. The main moan year on year is the cold in our store. The foyer and doors have only marginally fixed this though

Cache · Sun 08 Feb, 2009 15.59

We still have nothing in our Woolworths, and it looks such a mess. It's in a very dominating position with a massive double frontage, and its been ravaged inside.

Our MKone is also closing, and its similar, large shop frontage etc. Scarborough will look like a ghost town soon. But there is talk of getting a Primark, a H&M (large enough to have a mens department) and a Starbucks, so I guess its all good.

marksi · Sun 08 Feb, 2009 18.03

Latest victim: Anthony Worrall-Thompson.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/7877289.stm

Celebrity chef Antony Worrall Thompson has had to shut four restaurants, leaving 60 of his staff redundant.
He visited the businesses on Friday to tell employees their jobs no longer existed due to falling sales and problems in securing bank loans.
The TV chef, 57, turned to personal savings to help keep control of two other restaurants and a delicatessen.
He said he "experienced an unexpected but decisive fall in revenue across the businesses from September 2008".
His holding company, AWT Restaurants Ltd, went into administration last Friday.